Inhaler.



W. S. DUANE.

INHALER.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 27, 1909.

957,543 Patented May 10, 1910.

WALTER S. DOANE, F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

INHALER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 10, 1910.

Application filed December 27, 1909. Serial No. 534,941.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVALTnR S. DOANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Inhaler, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an inhaler designed so that it can be carried about in the pocket or a small case and adapted to be used not only for inhaling purposes but for exhaling.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide means whereby the inhaler can be employed for exhaling in such a way that the exhalation must be slow and gradual, thus securing the greatest benefit from the drugs employed in the inhaler; also to provide means whereby the exhalation takes place through the body of the instrument itself longitudinally without employing any small lateral passages or the like which are expensive and require cleaning from time to time; and also to provide automatic means for causing the air to pass through the medicated cotton or the like during inhalation and outside it along the tube during exhalation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional View of a preferred form of the inhaler with the parts in the position occupied during inhalation; Fig. 2. is a similar view showing the position of the parts and course of the air during exhalation; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a form of inside receptacle for the medicated cotton or the like; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the corks or partitions; Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the valve; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the end cork or partition.

The invention is shown as comprising a tube or container 10 of general cylindrical form preferably having a flaring end 11 and a contracted integral mouth piece 12. At the end of this mouth piece is shown an outwardly extending integral circular flange 13 so arranged that a circumferential groove is provided just behind it so that the mouth piece can be held in the teeth, thus permitting a patient to use the inhaler while occupied with ordinary work of any kind.

Within the inhaler are shown three partitions 15, 16 and 17 each preferably made of cork and forced in so as to be held Within the container by friction as is ordinarily the case in instruments of this kind. The partition is provided with passages 20 around the circumference but is imperforate at the center. The partitions 16 and 17 are alike, and are provided with perforations or passages 21 through the center and with additional passages 22 in the form of notches around the circumference. These passages 22 are shown a little more shallow than the passages 20 for a reason which will be explained hereinafter.

Between the partitions 16 and 17 is held a perforated sheet metal cylindrical receptacle 23 constituting a chamber for the absorbent material, cotton or the like 24; which is medicated with menthol or other medicine as is well understood in this art. The partitions are forced up against the sharp ends of this receptacle so as to hold it firmly in position. It is of smaller diameter than the inside diameter of the container so as to be spaced therefrom all around forming a cylindrical passage 25 from the notches 22 in one partition to the corresponding notches in the other. These notches 22 are entirely outside the receptacle 23 and the perforations 21 are entirely inside the ends thereof.

The partitions 15 and 16 are spaced considerably apart and between them is located a valve 26 formed of any light material as for example, sheet aluminum. This valve fits within the container in such a way that it is freely movable and is moved from one limiting position to the other by the breath of the patient as the instrument is used. It is provided with internal flanges 27 which extend only a short way in and has a large opening at each end of sufficient size to receive all the perforations 21 within it.

The operation of the device is as follows:WVhen the mouth piece is placed within the mouth and held by the teeth which enter the groove, the inhalation of the patient causes the valve 26 to be forced into the position shown in Fig. l in which it closes the notches 22 so that all the air must be drawn into the lungs through the perforations 21 and directly through the medicated absorbent material. Upon exhalation the first effect is to force the valve into the position shown in Fig. 2 so that the notches 22 will be free and, as the cylindrical space 25 presents substantially no resistance to the passage of the air while the absorbent cotton or other material necessarily presents a certain amount of resistance, most of the air will pass outside of the receptacle 23 through the unobstructed passage. Now the flange 27 on the outer end of the valve comes over the notches 20, but it does not entirely close them. Ihe closure is sufficient, however, to present considerable resistance so that the air must be forced out gradually. This causes the medicated air to be held within the lungs a considerable period of time so that it necessarily has a chance to perform its desired functions. Ordinarily the resistance depended upon is obtained merely by the fact that the cork partition 15 does not fit the flange 27 perfectly, but for the purpose of illustrating the matter the notches 20 have been shown as extending slightly in past the edges of the flanges so that there is a slight direct passage for air therethrough. It will be understood of course that the extent of this passage is considerably exaggerated in the drawings for the purpose of illustration. In view of the necessary retention of the air in the lungs for a period of time it will be seen that the patient will not have to depend upon his own judgment as to the length of time required to hold the air in the lungs, and the greatest part of the value of the medicine will not be lost, as is the case with most inhalers used at the present time. In addition to this the same conditions cause the muscles of the lungs to be exercised and developed. This is an important feature of the invention. It will be seen also that while I have called the device an inhaler it is both an inhaler and an exhaler.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, I am aware that many modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in they art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described, but

What I do claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, an inhaler comprising a tubular container having a mouth piece, a chamber inside the container adapted to receive an absorbent medicated material spaced from the inner wall of the container, a partition fitting frictionally in the container against which the end of said chamber is held and having passages mg a mouth piece, a chamber inside the container spaced from the inner wall of the container, two partitions fitting the interior of the container, holding the ends of said chamber in position therein, and having passages therethrough communicating with the interior of said chamber and passages beyond the circumference of said chamber, whereby a path for the air outside said receptacle is provided, means whereby the air is forced to pass through the chamber during inhalation, and is permitted to pass outside during exhalation, and means for restricting the flow of air during exhalation.

3. As an article of manufacture, an in haler comprising a tubular containerhaving a mouth piece, a chamber inside the container spaced from the inner wall of the container, a pair of partitions located in the container at the ends of said chamber and having passages therethrough communicating with the interior of said chamber, and passages beyond the circumference of said chamber, whereby a path for the air outside said chamber is provided, and a valve at the outer end of said container adapted to close the passages outside the chamber during inhalation so as to force allthe air to pass through the chamber.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a container having a mouth piece, a receptacle therein for the medicament, means for causing the air to pass through said receptacle during inhalation and for permitting it to pass along the container inside the same but outside the receptacle during exhalation, and means for restricting the exit of the air during exhalation.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a cylindrical container, a partition therein having perforations, a receptacle on one side of the partition communicating with certain of said perforations, others of the perforations being outside the receptacle, a second partition nearer the end of the container having passages near its circumference, and a valve between said partitions and freely movable from one to the other, said valve having means for stopping said partitions outside the receptacle in the first named partition when moved against it, and for restricting the passages in the other partition when moved in the opposite direction.

6. As an article of manufacture, an inhaler comprising a tubular container having a mouth piece, a removable chamber in-.

957,548 g or side the container spaced from the inner In testimony whereof I have hereunto set Wall of the container all around, and tWo my hand, in the presence of tWo subscribing l0 partitionsd il ittingd the interipr (ffi the con- Witnesses.

tainer an ocate at the en s 0 said inner chamber so asto hold said ends in position WALTER DOANE' out of contact With the inner wall of the Witnesses:

container, said partitions having passages ALBERT E. FAY,

therethrough. C. FORREST W'nssoN. 

